I read the article and don't see where you're coming from with them seeming guilty.  It's no secret that WGA as never been a secure system and was cracked quickly.  I'm not sure what the technology is they're being sued for but I'm pretty sure it's not related to WGA which was actually released after 2003 I believe, although I could be wrong.  I thought the lawsuit was related to the activation software built into XP originally not WGA, could somebody clarify though.  WGA was actually added post SP2.

There is a lot of money churn with patents with companies like M$. They make money from patent lawsuits and they lose money from them as well.

Old new like this ''April 9, 2009'',..+ big title MICROSOFT LOSES 388 MILLION DOLLARS!!! + kill zone 2 avatar = pathetic ''sony hater  thread'' ,..

That's a lot of money.

 For eternity, even. Not even RROD losses top this!

The fact that this case has progressed for so long indicates that software patenting needs a drastic overhaul. We read these stories hundreds of times a year. Which shows that the patenting is being allowed to be to vague, and that squatting has become excessive. I suspect the majority are good faith mistakes. Where someone independently arrives at the same solution to a common problem.

The software arena reminds me of the comic arena of a few decades past. When the comic companies were churning out characters to copyright for future use, and to deny the competition a cool word. Before long it got so bad that they were patenting dozens of characters a day. Eventually they were shut down. Basically to patent it they first had to use it in a comic, and even then it had to be original.

What software needs is something similar. Where the companies must patent, and use within a year. Further more it must be attached rigidly to coding not just a overarching concept. That should clear the court systems.

what? only 388 million, that's a drop in the bucket for them.

This sums it up very well. +1 to you point x.

Microsoft has ''25billion'' dollars in cash.,.. please saving yours trolls  comments.. microsoft is not sony..